Captain Robert Sipp Denbigh, Jr., passed away on December 21, 2022, at the age of 93.

He was a longtime resident of Arlington, Virginia, along with his wife of 69 years, Joan Howard Denbigh.

Robert, otherwise known as Bob, was an avid tennis player who loved to greet his neighbors on his daily walks through the neighborhood.

A proud service member of the U.S. Navy, he was a loyal friend to his numerous classmates from the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1952, and a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

Robert was born on March 10, 1929, the son of Robert Sipp Denbigh, Sr., and Mary Schomp Denbigh of Flemington, New Jersey. After graduating from Flemington High School in 1946, he enlisted in the Navy and initially served as a radarman aboard the minesweeper, the USS Tercel. He was encouraged to apply to the U.S. Naval Academy and attended the Naval Preparatory School in Bainbridge, Maryland, before entering the Academy in 1948, with the Class of 1952.

Upon graduation, he served on the aircraft carrier, the USS Oriskany. As conning officer on the carrier, Robert noticed a problem with the aircraft on take-off, turned the carrier to avoid a collision and saved the pilot’s life. The pilot, Vice Admiral Bill Lawrence recounted the event in his oral history.

Robert went on to become a submariner, serving on the USS Albacore, the USS Piper, then on the USS Becuna as Executive Officer, and as Commanding Officer of the USS Irex in New London, Connecticut. From 1970-73, he commanded Submarine Flotilla Eight in Naples, Italy. His last assignment was at the Pentagon working on the SALT I treaty.

After retiring from the Navy, he worked as a defense contractor for SYSCOM in support of Naval Sea Systems Command.

Robert was predeceased by his son, John Howard Denbigh.

He is survived by his wife, Joan; his son, Robert Scott Denbigh; his daughter, Dorie Denbigh-Laurent; his grandchildren, Mathew and Jason Denbigh, Margaux and Camille Laurent; and his great-granddaughter, Nadia Limami.

A burial is to be scheduled at Arlington Cemetery in the coming months.

You are encouraged to visit Captain Denbigh’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of his life.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”

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